Replaceable cutting edge assembly with wedge means

ABSTRACT

A cutting edge assembly including an elongated member with a cutting edge arranged upon a leading edge of a material handling implement, the elongated member being firmly secured in place by a plurality of retainers, each of the retainers including an adapter secured to the implement, the adapter having a surface spaced apart from the cutting edge with two embodiments of wedge assemblies being disclosed for arrangement in the space between the adapter surface and cutting edge to secure the elongated member against the leading edge of the implement.

United States Patent 1191 [11] 3,831,297 Lanz et al. 1 Aug. 27, 1974 [54] REPLACEABLE CUTTING EDGE 3,678,605 7/1972 Prime 37/141 T ASSEMBLY WITH WEDGE MEANS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [75] Inventors: William E. Lanz; Eugene M. Wilson, 388,528 1/1924 Germany 37/142 A both of Joliet, Ill. [73] Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, 111. gfgz f i g i i gtgg [22] Filed: June 27, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmPhillips, Moore, [21] APPL No; 373,999 Weissenberger, Lempio & Strabala 52 U S C] 37/141 R 37/142 R 83/831 [57] ABS CT 1 [103 A cutting edge assembly including an elongated mem- [51] Int Cl Eozf 9/28 her with a cutting edge arranged upon a leading edge [58] Fieid T 142 R of a material handling implement, the elongated mem- 37/l 42 her being firmly secured in place by a plurality of re tainers, each of the retainers including an adapter secured to the implement, the adapter having a surface [56] References Cited spaced apart from the cutting edge with two embodi- UNITED STATES PATENTS ments of wedge assemblies being disclosed for arl,060,l4l 4/l9l3 Snyder 37/l42 R rangement in the space between the adapter surface f g and cutting edge to secure the elongated member ersey 3,093,917 6/1963 Schroeder.. 37 141 T against the leadmg edge of the Implement 3,550,293 12/1970 Helton 37/ 142 R X 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ll/J71],

REPLACEABLE CUTTING EDGE ASSEMBLY WITH WEDGE MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cutting edge for material handling implements and more particularly to an assembly including a replaceable member forming the cutting edge and a plurality of retainers including wedge means for securing the member in place.

Numerous material handing implements such as loader buckets and scrapers, for example, include cutting edges which are subject to substantial wear during operation and accordingly must be periodically replaced. However, while each cutting edge is employed upon the implement, it is equally important that the cutting edge be firmly secured in place to facilitate operation of the implement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cutting edge arrangement for material handling implements which facilitates replacement of the cutting edge while insuring that the cutting edge is firmly secured in place while it is in use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cutting edge arrangement wherein an elongated member forming a cutting edge is secured in place by a plurality of retainers, each including wedge means for firmly securing the elongated member in place upon the implement.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention are made apparent in the following description having reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a material handling implement with a replaceable cutting edge assembly arranged upon a leading edge of the implement.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along section line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along sectional line lIl-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view, with parts in section, similar to FIG. 2, while illustrating an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along section line V--V of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An exemplary implement with which the cutting edge assembly of the present invention may be employed is illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, a portion of a loader bucket is indicated at 11 and includes a floor 12 with side walls 13 and 14.

An elongated member 16 including a cutting edge 17 is illustrated in mounted relation upon the loader bucket adjacent a leading edge 18 of the floor 12. Retainer units 19 constructed according to the present invention, firmly secure the member 16 in place adjacent the leading edge 18 while also facilitating replacement of the member 16 when necessary. Construction of the retainer units 19 is also illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each of the retainer units 19 includes an adapter member 21 secured to the implement floor 12, for example, by welding as indicated at 22 in FIG. 2. The

adapter extends forwardly of the cutting edge 17 on the member 16 as may also be best seen in FIG. 2 and has a stepped surface as indicatedat 23 adjacent the leading edge 18 of the floor 12. An additional step is formed in each adapter to provide a surface 24 arranged in spaced apart and opposed relation with the cutting edge 17.

The elongated cutting member 16 is secured to each of the adapters 21 by a plurality of bolts 26. Before the bolts 26 are completely tightened to secure the cutting member 16 to the adapters, a wedge assembly as indicated at 27 is employed to maintain the cutting member 16 securely against the leading edge 18 of the bucket floor 12. Referring also to FIG. 3, the wedge assembly 27 includes a wedge member 28 arranged between the cutting edge 17 and a tapered portion 29 of the surface 24. A bolt 31 penetrates the wedge member 28 and a lug 32 formed on the surface 24. Accordingly, as the bolt 31 is tightened, the wedge member 28 is drawn toward the lug 32 and tends to separate the tapered surface 29 from the cutting edge 17. Referring also to FIGS. 1 and 2, it may thus be seen that tightening of the bolt 31 urges the cutting member 16 into close engagement with the leading edge 18 of the bucketfloor 12.

After the wedge assemblies 27 of the various retaining units 19 are arranged to secure the cutting member 16 against the leading edge 18 of the bucket floor 12, the bolts 26 are tightened as indicated above. In order to protect the wedge assembly 27 and to increase the life of the adapters 21, a generally conventional tip 33 is arranged to encompass a portion of each adapter 21 extending forwardly of the cutting edge 17. Each tip 33 is secured to the respective adapter 21 by a horizontally disposed retaining pin 34 which is also generally of conventional design. Referring particularly to FIG. 3, it may be seen that the fins 33a and 33b of the tip 33 tend to close the space between the cutting edge 17 and the surface 24 wherein the wedge assembly 27 is arranged.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referring to those figures, elements corresponding to portions of the embodiment of FIGS. l-3 are indicated by similar primed numerals. For example, the bucket floor is indicated at 12' with its leading edge being indicated at 18'. The elongated cutting member 16' is similarly arranged adjacent the leading edge 18' of the bucket floor. However, the adapter 21' is of substantially different construction in that it is formed with a deep slot 51 which encloses both the cutting member 16 and the wedge assembly 27 Referring particularly to FIG. 5, it may be seen that the wedge assembly 27 differs substantially from that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The wedge assembly 27 includes a pair of tapered wedge members 52 and 53 arranged in wedged relation with each other between the cutting edge 17' and the surface 24 which includes a shoulder 54 to resist movement of the wedge member 53 in one direction. Thus, the two wedge members 52 and 53 may be similarly urged into position between the cutting edge 17' and surface 24' to urge the cutting member 16' into secure engagement with the leading edge 18' of the bucket floor.

The protective tip 33' is also of slightly different construction from that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, it is similarly secured in place by a retaining pin 34' and serves a similar function of protecting the adapter 21 and enclosing the wedge assembly 27.

What is claimed is: 1. A cutting edge assembly arranged upon a leading edge of a material handling implement and comprising an elongated member arranged along the leading edge of the implement with a cutting edge facing away from the leading edge, of the implement and subject to wear at a substantial rate during operation of the implement,

a plurality of retainers arranged along the leading edge in spaced apart relation, each of the plurality of retainers including an adapter secured to the implement adjacent its leading edge and having a surface arranged in spaced apart opposition to the cutting edge, and

removable wedge means arranged in the space between the adapter surface and cutting edge to urge the elongated member against the leading edge of the implement.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the opposed surface of the adapter is provided with stop means arranged for interaction with the wedge means.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the stop means comprises a shoulder formed on the opposed surface of the adapter.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the wedge means comprises a pair of wedge blocks arranged in wedged relation with each other within the space between the cutting edge and adapter surface, one of the wedge blocks being arranged against the shoulder on the adapter surface.

5. The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a tip encompassing a portion of the adapter extending beyond the cutting edge and closing the space between the cutting edge and opposed surface of the adapter.

6. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the stop means comprising a lug secured to the adapter surface, the adapter surface being tapered, the wedge means comprising a wedge block arranged between the cutting edge and the tapered adapter surface and means for positioning the wedge block relative to the lug.

7. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a tip encompassing a portion of the adapter extending beyond the cutting edge and closing the space between the cutting edge and opposed surface of the adapter. 

1. A cutting edge assembly arranged upon a leading edge of a material handling implement and comprising an elongated member arranged along the leading edge of the implement with a cutting edge facing away from the leading edge of the implement and subject to wear at a substantial rate during operation of the implement, a plurality of retainers arranged along the leading edge in spaced apart relation, each of the plurality of retainers including an adapter secured to the implement adjacent its leading edge and having a surface arranged in spaced apart opposition to the cutting edge, and removable wedge means arranged in the space between the adapter surface and cutting edge to urge the elongated member against the leading edge of the implement.
 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the opposed surface of the adapter is provided with stop means arranged for interaction with the wedge means.
 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the stop means comprises a shoulder formed on the opposed surface of the adapter.
 4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the wedge means comprises a pair of wedge blocks arranged in wedged relation with each other within the space between the cutting edge and adapter surface, one of the wedge blocks being arranged against the shoulder on the adapter surface.
 5. The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a tip encompassing a portion of the adapter extending beyond the cutting edge and closing the space between the cutting edge and opposed surface of the adapter.
 6. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the stop means comprising a lug secured to the adapter surface, the adapter surface being tapered, the wedge means comprising a wedge block arranged between the cutting edge and the tapered adapter surface and means for positioning the wedge block relative to the lug.
 7. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising a tip encompassing a portion of the adapter extending beyond the cutting edge and closing the space between the cutting edge and opposed surface of the adapter. 